According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 9.92 square miles (25.7 km2), of which 9.86 square miles (25.5 km2) (or 99.40%) is land and 0.06 square miles (0.16 km2) (or 0.60%) is water.[2]

There were 5,330 households out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,761, and the median income for a family was $45,902. Males had a median income of $31,442 versus $21,543 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,132. About 6.5% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.9% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Effingham was first settled in 1814, and was known from then until 1859 as Broughton.[4]

On April 5, 1949, St. Anthony's hospital caught fire and burned to the ground, killing 74 people.[5] As a result, fire codes nationwide were improved. Due to extensive media coverage, including a "Life Magazine" cover story,[6] donations for rebuilding the hospital came from all 48 states and several foreign countries.

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Effingham under the daily City of New Orleans route to New Orleans and Chicago, Saluki, and Illini routes to Chicago and Carbondale. Until October 1, 1979, the station also served Amtrak's former National Limited line between Kansas City and New York City.

Effingham High School (EHS) is the public high school.[7] The new EHS opened in the fall of 1998. The former EHS building, built in 1939 as a WPA project (film made as of the construction) and expanded in 1965, is currently the junior high, serving grades 6–8. The old junior high, Central School, is now a grade school serving grades 3–5. EHS athletics were originally known as the "Warriors" but the name was changed after Ada Kepley, a legendary city resident, referred to Effingham as the "Heart of America" in a campaign to attract visitors to the city. The name eventually stuck, with references in the city government and the downtown movie theater named "The Heart Theater." EHS athletics are now known as the "Flaming Hearts" though generally referred to as simply the "Hearts."

Effingham is also home to St. Anthony High School, a private Roman Catholic High School. SAHS athletics are known as the "Bulldogs".

A 198-foot (60 m) steel cross erected by The Cross Foundation is located in Effingham. The Cross is made out of over 180 tonnes of steel and cost over $1 million.[8] The Cross Foundation claims that the cross is the tallest in the United States standing at 198 feet, even though The Great Cross (260-foot (79 m)) in St. Augustine, Florida is believed to be the tallest freestanding cross in the world.[9]

Some residents complained that using a Christian symbol to attract tourism "reeks of avarice and hypocrisy." Others pointed out that the money that built the cross, which was collected through private donations, could have fed the poor and done other good for the community that wasn't simply "over-the-top symbolism." [10]

Radio comedians Bob and Tom produced a segment on their national radio show, poking fun at the "Effing" portion of the name Effingham. Created as a fake advertisement for Illinois, the announcer talks about getting "Effing steaks, Effing great burgers, going Effing crazy," etc. Effingham has been brought up on several portions of this show discussing the large cross located just off I-57 in city. Bob Kevoian, co-host, described Effingham as the "Gateway" to his in-laws.[citation needed]

Ben Folds's album Way to Normal includes a track that was inspired while driving by Effingham, although the song refers to the city as "Effington"; it similarly refers to "effing in their yards/effing in their cars/effing in the trailers in the back roads and the parking lots of Effington."[11]

Jason Koo's book, Man on Extremely Small Island, has as its first poem "Swearing by Effingham," and includes many plays on the name of the city.[12]